Fuse-box.



Nd. 824,884. PATENTED JULY 3., 1906. H. E. RICHARDS & R. H. RAMSAY.

FUSE BOX. APPLICATION FILED MAY'IB. 1905 lllilllllflqiflld Ill! IIIIIIIIIIIAIII' airman;

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE. I

HOIVARD E. RICHARDS AND ROBERT H. RAMSAY, OF BELLEVUE, OHIO.

FUSE-BOX.

. No. ceases.

Patented July 3, lQL'G.

Application filed May 15, 1905. serial No. 260,432.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that we, HOWARD E. Rrcn- Aims and ROBERT H. RAMsAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Bellevue, in the county of Huron and State of Ohio, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements n Fuse-Boxes; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in combination fuse-boxes for use on primary or secondary electric wires, transformers, 1unction-boxes for branch lines, street-railways and their equipments, and all pole-works. The objects of our invention are the protection of life and propert the provision of a quick and safe method of replacing a blown fuse, and the assistance of electricians or.

linemen on dark, storm'y, rainy, or sleety nights 1n closing and opening a circuit without danger of an electric shock and without danger of burning or blinding caused by an arcing fuse.

The above and other objects, which will appear as the nature of our invention is better understood, are accomplished by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fuse-box constructed'in accordance with ourinvention,

the cover or lid of the same being swung to its open position. Fig. 2 is a lon itudinal sectional view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a view of a --recessed portion 7 of the terminal bar 6, so as slightly-modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1

denotes a suitable box or casing having a hinged coverv or lid 2 and within which is mounted our improved multiple fuse cut-out 3. The latter comprises a base 4, constructed of slate or other suitable non-conducting material and secured within the box or casing 1 by screws or other suitable fastening means. Adjacent to one end of the base 4 upon its outer faceissecured by screws or other suit- I able fastening means 5 a transversely-extending terminal bar 6, which has an angularly-disposed end 7, recessed to receive an electric terminal or wire,- which is passed through an insulator 8, of porcelain or vulcanized rubber, provided in one side of the box 1. A binding-screw. 9 is provided in the recess or opening 12, formed in the block 10,

by a binding-screw 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Pivotally mounted upon the top of the terminal block 10 by means of a screw 14 is a knife-switch 15, which hasupon one of its ends a vulcanized or insulated handle 16. This handle is adapted to project through a slot 17, formed in thebottom or end of the box or casing. The opposite end 18 of the knife-switch is adapted to be'swung or moved into contact with any one of a segmentally arranged series of electrical contacts 19, which are in the form of spaced jaws, of brass or other suitable metal, riveted, welded, or

otherwise secured or formed upon spaced fuse-blocks 20, which are preferably formed of copper and screwed or otherwise secured upon the central portion of the base 4.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings we have shown three of the fuse-blocks 20; but it will be understood that any desired number may be provided. They are electrically connected to the terminal bar 1 by fuse-wires 22, which maybe of any form and construction. As shown, these fuses 22 are secured to the bar 6 and the blocks 20 by binding-screws 23 and washers 24. In order to secure a more perfect electrical connection between the terminal block 10 and the knife-switch 15, the

end 18 of the latter is connected by a coiled wire 25 to said block 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The coil'in the wire 25 ermits the lever to be swung to move its en 18 into on agement with any pair of contact-jaws 19, t e s ace between these pairs of uickly, easily, and safely closed by swinging t e lever into engagement with one or the other of the pairs of jaws 19. In order to prevent the blowing of one fuse from injuring the others, webs or partitions 26 of any suitable insulating material are provided upon the base 4 between said fuses, as shown 1n the awings.

terminal bar 6.

' the terminal bar, are shown in this form of the invention of different sizesthat is, of different amperage capacity-so that the device may be adapted for diff rent kinds of current by shifting the knife switch or lever. In this form of the invention the terminal or conductor socket 7 instead of being at-one end of the bar 6 is formed at the center of its top, as shown at 30.

The construction, use, and advanta es of our invent] on Wlll be readily understoo from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It will be seen that owing to the fact-that the device is entirely inclosed by the casing 01 box 1 no danger to erson or property can be 2 5 caused by the blowing of one of the fuses and that a blown fuse may be quickly and safely replaced by simply shifting the insulated handle 16 of the switch-lever. The device reduces to a minimum the risks or dangers that electricians or linemen are subjected to in re'placingfuses in other devices of-asimilar nature in azardous places or on dark and stormy nights. may be removed and replaced by a new one with little danger while the circuit is completed through one of the other fuses.

,While wehave shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it

When one fuse is blown, it

saaeee will be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the precise construction herein set. forth, since various changesin the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus describedour invention, what weclaim as new, and desire to secure by Let: ters Patent, is.

A device of the character described comprising a box or casinghaving a removable cover, a base of non-conducting material within. said casing, a terminal bar secured adjacent to one end of said base, a terminal block secured adjacent to the opposite end of said base, insulators in said casing to receive the terminals of electrical conductors, a eswitch pivoted upon said block, an insulated handle upon said switch projecting through a slot in said casing, a flexible conductor-wire .connecting said block and said switch, a se ries of fuse-blocks secured upon said base, segm fuse-blocks'adapted to be engaged y said entally-arranged contact-jaws u on said knife-switch, and binding-screws for securing the ends of fuse-wires to said terminal bar and to said fuse-blocks, substantially as-described.

' In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing-wit- IIGSSGS. V

HOWARD n. RICHARDS. ROBERT H. RAMSAY.

Witnesses:

T. H. Hmsr,

J onN ScULLnN. 

